Ilana Newman, MD graduated from the University of Arizona with three bachelor's degrees in four years. Before starting medical school at the University of Arizona, she did an internship at MTV in New York, where she worked on the alternative music show 120 Minutes. This experience fueled her interest in adolescent health issues. While in medical school, she found some interesting ways to combine her media experience with medicine, including medical school electives with the medical news unit at the CBS Evening News and KROQ's Loveline show.

Dr. Newman completed her family medicine residency at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York and became certified to use acupuncture in New York State. Afterwards, she did a fellowship in adolescent medicine at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center in New York. She appeared in health segments on the Oxygen Network and had a monthly column in Twist magazine. Later, she wrote, hosted, and co-produced a daily online video medical news show for doctors.

Many years later, Dr. Newman did another fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at the University of Miami. She currently treats patients with advanced cancer and other life-limiting conditions, helping to manage the symptoms from their disease or treatments. She is a voluntary assistant professor in family medicine at the University of Miami, where she helps teach the acupuncture course for physicians.